Mechanical pony



March 10, 1931. L, RAPHAEL 1, 95,678

MECHANICAL PONY Filed April 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY Z. n /iayiai.

March 10, 1931. RAPHAEL 1,795,678

MECHANICAL PQNY Fild April 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY L. F/Za 720d.

Patented Mar. 10, 1931 LOUIS F. RAPHAEL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI MECHANICAL PONY Application filed April 5, 1929. Serial No. 352,802.

My invention relates to mechanical ponies which are wheel supported, and, it has for its object to provide a device of the kind that will cause the pony to be rocked by the forward and rearward leaning movement of the rider and at the same time be propelled by means connecting the pony with a wheel supported rock shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide means by which the rider can easily guide the device for movement to either side of a straight path of travel.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the pony proper for rocking movement thereon.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanical pony which possesses advantages inpoints of simplicity and efliciency, and, at the same time proves itself comparatively inexpensive in cost of manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and finally pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein like characters of reference denote similarparts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a device embodymg the features of my invention with portions thereof broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device with portions thereof broken away.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the'd'evice, the teetering or rocking movement ofthe pony being shown in both extremes, one movement 49 in full lines and the other movement in dotted lines.

Fig. 4, is a rear elevation of the device.

Fi 5 is a detail showing a. part of the device in front elevation. I a

In carrying out the aim of my invention, I employ a suitable frame member 1 which is directed downwardly, as at 2, from the rear end thereof and twisted as at 3 to provide a short arm 4 which is directed both downwardly and rearwardly.

A pair of diverging brace bars 5 are each bolted, as at 6, or secured in any equivalent manner at their upper ends to the arm 4.

The lower ends of the brace bars are mounted upon a rotatable shaft or rear axle 7 having the crank 8 formed midway its ends. The crank shaft which acts as the rear axle is provided at its ends with the fixed wheels 9.

A suitable connecting rod 10 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the crank 8 of the rear axle and its upper end is pivotally connected as at 11 to the back of a pony 12, which pony is pivotally supported by a shaft 13 which passes through a bearing 14 carried by the brace member 1. The ends of the shaft 13 are suitably supported by the sides 12 of the pony 12.

The forward end of the frame member 1 is directed downwardly and forwardly to provide a brace member 15 having its lower end bent at an angle thereto to provide a. suitable bearing 16. I

A suitable steering post 17 is mounted at its lower end in the bearing 16 and the up er end thereof passes through a suitable bearmg 18 carried by the upper end of the brace member 15. The lower end of the steering post 17 is provided with a forked member 19 which is provided at its lower end with a pin 20 which serves as an axle upon which a front or steering wheel21 is rotatably mounted. The steering wheel is preferably smaller in diameter than the rear wheels 9, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. I

The upper end of the steering post 17 is 35 provided with a cross bar 22 a suitable distance above the steering post bearing 18. A suitable coiled tension spring 23 is connected at one end to each end of the steering cross bar 22 and the opposite end of each spring is suitably connected to a suitable inner rein 24,

' which reins cross each other, as shown in Fig. 2, and pass through suitable openings 25 in the sides of the mouth of the pony 12. The outer ends of the inner reins 24 are each suitably connected to the end of an outer rein 26 as shown in Fi 1, which rein is manipulated by the rider %or imparting movement to the inner reins 24 which in turn impart a turning movement to the steering post 17 for steering the device in either side direction. The springs are of course, of sufiicient tension to bring the steering post back to normal straight travel position when ever the rider releases his pull upon the outer rein 26.

In riding upon the pony, the rider sits in an erect position on a dead center of the pony and by leaning forward he throws the ony off balance and forces the forepart of its body downwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 causing the rear to rise, which turns the crank 8 over through the connecting rod 10 and propels the pony forward upon the supporting wheels 9 and 21. As the rider comes up he leans backward which completes the operation and the pony then assumes the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The forward and backward leaning movements of the rider keeps the pony in teetering or rocking motion upon a wheel supported structure which propels the device forward, backward and also to either side by manipulating the outer rein 26. When the rider wishes to stop, he keeps leanin backward which forms a natural brake or the vehicle. If the rider wishes to back up, he brin the pony to normal position as shown in 1g. 1 and he then leans backward first instead of forward and that starts propulsion of the device in a rearward direction with the same rocking or teeterin effect as in forward traveling movement of the device.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that the mechanical pony travels forward, backward and can be guided to travel to the right or to the left, as is desired by pulling back on the outer rein.

The many advantages of the herein described invention will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it up rtains.

rom the foregoing description, it is evident that a sim le device for this purpose has been disclosed, at it is to be understood that I do not desire to restrict, or limit myself to the very details of the construction shown and described, which is merely illustrative, it being obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of invention, may be made without conflicting or departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claims. v

What I claim is:

1. In a mechanical pony, a frame structure, an animal member, a shaft carried transversely of the animal member for balancing the animal member in a supported position upon the frame structure, a crank shaft, said crank shaft being rotatably supported by said frame structure, a rod connecting the crank shaft with the back of the animal member, a wheel fixed to each end of the crank shaft, a steering post mounted upon said frame structure, a fork carried by the lower end of the steering post. a steering wheel rotatably suppart of the ponys body i dren, a. rear axle,

ported by the fork, a cross bar carried by the upper end of the steering post, a pair of crossed inner reins, coiled tension springs connecting the inner ends of the inner reins with the ends of the steering post cross bar, the outer ends of said inner reins passing through the sides of the mouth portion of the animal member and an outside rein having its ends connected to the other ends of the cross inner reins.

2. In a traveling animal structure, frame embodying a main section, a leg section directed downwardly from the rear end thereof, a pair of brace members connected at their upper ends to said leg member, a rear axle rotatably supported by said brace members, a pair of wheels carried by said axle, a crank formed midway the ends of said axle, an animal member in the form of a pony pivotally supported by the main section of said frame so as to be self balancing, a brace member directed downwardly and forwardly from the front end of the main section of said frame, a steering post rotatably supported by said brace member, a single lead wheel pivotally supported at the lower end of the steering post, a cross arm at the upper end of said steering post, a pair of coiled tension springs connected to the ends of said cross arm, a pair of crossed inner reins connected to said springs, an outside rein connected to the forward ends of the inner reins and a connecting rod connecting the rear portion of the back of the animal member with the crank portion of the rear axle.

3. In a traveling mechanical pony for chila front axle, a pair of wheels carried by the ends of the rear axle, a crank section for the rear axle, a lead wheel carried by the front axle, a steering post supported by the front axle, a frame member carried at its forward end b'y'the steering post and supported at its rear end by the rear axle, an animal member pivotally balanced upon the frame member, means including a pair of crossed inner reins and an outer rein for in"- parting turning movementto the steeringpos t, resilient means connecting theinner reins with the steering post for normally holding the lead wheel in a straight steering position and means connecting the back of the animal member with the crank of the rear axle for imparting turning movement to the rear axle and wheels upon rocking movement imparted to the animal member by the rider thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

LOUIS F. RAPHAEL. 

